Policy Updates

On May 10, 2024, USAID joined the AU Commissioner and 14 other partners in a statement of support for the African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan at an AU-led soil health summit.

The US also announced US$40 million for the Space in Place approach, which is meant to support farmers with geospatial data and knowledge to ensure the best use of fertilizer for more nutritious foods.

Others joining the statement included the ADB, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, France, the World Bank, France, Canada, the EU, Germany, the Netherlands, the Rockefeller Foundation, Germany, and the UK. Commitments included improved investment policies, more access to fertilizers, enhancing soil inputs and interventions, and building capacity for soil health and fertilizer management.

On May 3, 2024, representatives from the Netherlands attended the 30^th ICPD in New York, where Dutch Director-General for International Cooperation Pascalle Grotenhuis and Dutch SRHR Youth Ambassador Sarah Bahgat called for further action on CSE and youth involvement to continue SRHR progress.

Grotenhuis delivered a statement on behalf of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg and highlighted priorities set out by young people. The Netherlands also supported the ICPD Program of Action and co-hosted 300+ young people at the Global Youth Dialogue to reflect on its urgent call to ensure women and girls’ right to decide over their bodies and futures.

Bahgat delivered a statement at the General Debate of the Commission on Population and Development, highlighting the need to tackle information online, deliver CSE in humanitarian settings, and showcase the outcomes of the Global Youth Dialogue.

On April 26, 2024, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher welcomed the findings of the inquiry into allegations against UNRWA employees of involvement with the Hamas attack against Israel and noted that the Netherlands will consider UNRWA as a potential channel for humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

On January 27, 2024, following the allegations, the Netherlands announced it would freeze future funding to Gaza until the investigation concluded. The independent research conducted by Ms. Catherine Colonna, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights was presented to donors on April 22, 2024. The report found that UNRWA has necessary mechanisms to ensure its neutrality. It also offered 50 recommendations to improve existing neutrality concerns. UNRWA stated that it embraces the recommendations and will implement them immediately.

The Netherlands responded positively to the report. Representatives noted that the government will closely and critically monitor the implementation of the recommendations, partly through its role in the UNRWA advisory committee, and resume considering UNRWA as a potential channel for humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Schreinemacher stated that the Netherlands also aims to diversify its future humanitarian funding to Gaza to decrease dependence on UNRWA. It hopes to strengthen the capabilities of other UN organizations, the Red Cross and Crescent Movements, and INGOs.

On April 24, 2024, the UNDP announced that the Netherlands contributed EUR36 million (US$39 million) in core funding to the UNDP for 2024.

The flexible funding supports implementing the UNDP’s strategic plan for 2022-2025 to tackle multidimensional poverty, promote good governance, foster the rule of law, and champion gender equality globally.

The UNDP also highlighted positive results coming from its partnership with the Netherlands. With Dutch support, the UNDP is strengthening Ukraine’s capacity and use of advanced technology to manage mine action operations.

On April 15, 2024, outgoing Dutch Minister of Finance Steven van Weyenberg presented the Spring Budget, which showed that an additional EUR4.4 billion (US$4.8 billion) will be made available for military and humanitarian support to Ukraine for 2024-2026 and the EUR800 million (US$870 million) in ODA was reallocated to cover IDRCs.

The funding is in addition to EUR3.4 billion (US$3.6 billion) in ODA allocated to host asylum seekers in 2023’s Spring Budget covering 2023-2027. The extra expenses are covered by windfalls from various budgets.

Dutch development Association Partos argued that by increasingly using ODA to host asylum seekers within the Netherlands, the current Dutch cabinet continues to make itself a major recipient of its developing money. Recent OECD numbers found that 17.7% of the Dutch development budget is spent domestically, and the new Spring Budget suggests this will increase to 20% in the coming years. Partos called on the Dutch government to ensure the development budget prioritizes tackling challenges such as hunger, poverty, and climate change elsewhere in the world, and to maintain a good international position.

On April 19, 2024, the Netherlands pledged EUR68 million (US$74 million) towards World Bank hybrid capital, which is expected to expand the bank’s lending capacity by over US$550 million over the next ten years for global public goods investment.

Dutch Ministers of Finance and Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher and Steven van Weyenberg announced the contribution to support low- and middle-income countries in financing the energy transition, biodiversity protection, and strengthening health systems to prevent future pandemics.

This commitment joins those of 10 other countries to boost the World Bank’s lending capacity, totaling US$11 billion and potentially providing up to US$70 billion in essential funds.

On April 15, 2024, at the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and Its Neighbors in Paris, France, the Netherlands announced a EUR10 million (US$11 million) contribution to support food assistance in Sudan through the WFP.

Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher emphasized the dire situation in Sudan, where 18 million people face acute hunger. Since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, warring parties have obstructed emergency assistance. At the time of the announcement, 8 million Sudanese were internally displaced, and 2 million have fled to neighboring countries.

The recent pledge supplements the Netherlands’ annual support of EUR55 million (US$60 million) to the UN CERF, which has allocated EUR35 million (US$38 million) annually for support to Sudan. The Netherlands has supported the reception of Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries as well as EU negotiations for a ceasefire and sanctions against warring parties.

On April 12, 2024, the Royal House of the Netherlands announced that as of April 15, 2024, Liesje Schreinemacher will return from maternity leave and resume her role as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

Schreinemacher started her maternity leave on December 4, 2023. Since then, Geoffrey van Leeuwen has temporarily taken on the role of Minister.

On April 12, 2024, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that the Netherlands will make another EUR1.4 billion (US$1.5 billion) available this year to support Ukraine against Russia’s attacks and its recovery efforts.

Rutte announced that EUR1 billion (US$1.1 billion) will be available for military support and EUR400 million (US$435 million) to bolster Ukraine’s economy and for vital repairs to energy infrastructure.

This commitment is in addition to the EUR2 billion (US$2.2 billion) that the Netherlands committed to Ukraine in the form of a guarantee on February 9, 2024.

Rutte further stated that the Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, and Finance agreed to make EUR3 billion (US$3.3 billion) available for military support in 2025.

On April 11, 2024, development association Partos criticized the newly released 2023 Dutch ODA numbers published by the OECD and argued for more stable, predictable ODA to help achieve the SDGs.

Partos noted that the Netherlands does not meet the internationally agreed-upon norm of 0.7% ODA/GNI. In addition, the numbers show that in 2023, 17.7% of the Dutch ODA went towards hosting asylum seekers in the Netherlands.

Partos argued that with this approach to ODA, the Netherlands risks its international reputation, influence, and economic interests, as they consider development cooperation essential to creating trust and positive relationships with other countries. The organization noted that without sufficient, stable funding, the Netherlands is unlikely to reach its development objectives.

Partos called on four political parties that are currently negotiating to form a new government coalition: the nationalist, right-wing populist PVV, the conservative-liberal VVD, the Christian Democratic NSC, and the right-wing populist BBB. Partos advocated that these parties to strengthen the Netherlands’ position in international fora and ensure a stable and predictable ODA to contribute to a world with equal opportunities and stability for all.